IHY vs. VHT
IHY (VanEck Vectors International High Yield Bond ETF) and VHT (Vanguard Health Care ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - IHY is a High Yield Bonds fund tracking the Bank of America Merrill Lynch Global Ex-‐US Issuers High Yield Constrained Index, while VHT is a Health & Biotech Equities fund tracking the MSCI US Investable Market Health Care 25/50 Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, IHY returned 4.19%/yr vs 10.14%/yr for VHT. At a 0.32 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. IHY charges 0.40%/yr vs 0.09%/yr for VHT.
Performance
IHY vs. VHT - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, IHY achieves a 0.65% return, which is significantly higher than VHT's -0.03% return. Over the past 10 years, IHY has underperformed VHT with an annualized return of 4.19%, while VHT has yielded a comparatively higher 10.14% annualized return.
IHY
- 1D
- -0.18%
- 1M
- 0.01%
- YTD
- 0.65%
- 6M
- 0.37%
- 1Y
- 4.89%
- 3Y*
- 8.50%
- 5Y*
- 1.72%
- 10Y*
- 4.19%
VHT
- 1D
- 1.30%
- 1M
- 2.66%
- YTD
- -0.03%
- 6M
- -0.44%
- 1Y
- 19.32%
- 3Y*
- 7.09%
- 5Y*
- 4.60%
- 10Y*
- 10.14%
IHY vs. VHT - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IHY VanEck Vectors International High Yield Bond ETF | 0.65% | 13.39% | 3.55% | 12.11% | -14.34% | -2.82% | 8.65% | 12.77% | -4.52% | 12.54% |
VHT Vanguard Health Care ETF | -0.03% | 15.46% | 2.66% | 2.52% | -5.60% | 20.57% | 18.29% | 21.87% | 5.58% | 23.26% |
Correlation
The correlation between IHY and VHT is 0.33, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.33 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.34 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.40 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.38 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Apr 3, 2012 | 0.32 |
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Return for Risk
IHY vs. VHT — Risk / Return Rank
IHY
VHT
IHY vs. VHT - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for VanEck Vectors International High Yield Bond ETF (IHY) and Vanguard Health Care ETF (VHT). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| IHY | VHT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.41 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.66 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.16 | 1.23 | -0.07 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.03 | 1.87 | -0.83 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 3.67 | 4.59 | -0.92 |
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Drawdowns
IHY vs. VHT - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum IHY drawdown since its inception was -27.63%, smaller than the maximum VHT drawdown of -39.12%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IHY and VHT.
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Drawdown Indicators
| IHY | VHT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -27.63% | -39.12% | +11.49% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -4.75% | -10.40% | +5.65% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -4.75% | -16.91% | +12.16% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -26.91% | -17.71% | -9.20% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -27.63% | -28.85% | +1.22% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -1.41% | -3.20% | +1.79% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -5.26% | -5.98% | +0.72% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.34% | 4.22% | -2.88% |
Volatility
IHY vs. VHT - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for VanEck Vectors International High Yield Bond ETF (IHY) is 1.46%, while Vanguard Health Care ETF (VHT) has a volatility of 5.02%. This indicates that IHY experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than VHT based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| IHY | VHT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.46% | 5.02% | -3.56% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 4.03% | 10.49% | -6.46% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 5.42% | 14.72% | -9.30% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 7.75% | 15.03% | -7.28% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 7.65% | 16.95% | -9.30% |
IHY vs. VHT - Expense Ratio Comparison
IHY has a 0.40% expense ratio, which is higher than VHT's 0.09% expense ratio.
Dividends
IHY vs. VHT - Dividend Comparison
IHY's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 5.71%, more than VHT's 1.64% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IHY VanEck Vectors International High Yield Bond ETF | 5.71% | 5.31% | 5.60% | 5.26% | 4.97% | 4.55% | 4.65% | 4.86% | 4.70% | 4.36% | 5.11% | 5.79% |
VHT Vanguard Health Care ETF | 1.64% | 1.61% | 1.53% | 1.36% | 1.33% | 1.14% | 1.21% | 1.89% | 1.38% | 1.31% | 1.45% | 1.22% |
Frequently Asked Questions
IHY and VHT have a correlation of 0.33, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
VHT has higher volatility (5.02%) compared to IHY (1.46%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IHY dropped -27.63% vs VHT's -39.12%.
On 10-year performance, VHT leads with 10.14% vs 4.19% for IHY. On fees, VHT is cheaper at 0.09% per year. On volatility, IHY has been the lower-risk option at 1.46%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, VHT has performed better with a 10.14% return vs 4.19%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
VHT is cheaper with a 0.09% expense ratio, compared with 0.40% for IHY.
IHY has the higher dividend yield at 5.71%, compared with 1.64% for VHT.
IHY is categorized as High Yield Bonds, while VHT is Health & Biotech Equities. IHY tracks Bank of America Merrill Lynch Global Ex-‐US Issuers High Yield Constrained Index, while VHT tracks MSCI US Investable Market Health Care 25/50 Index. They also come from different issuers: VanEck and Vanguard. Their fees differ too: 0.40% for IHY and 0.09% for VHT.
VHT currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.32 vs 0.91), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
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